From Above
by BeneathTheUmbrella
Summary: A series of stories where Tracy's life intersects and parallels with Ted's during various point in time between 2009 and 2013.
1. Milt

_This story was based on a request from **blacksheep**_ ** _domination_** _recently, who mentioned loving to read a post-S4 AU series where Tracy is present in the episodes. While I can't write a complete series, or create an AU universe where Tracy was alongside the gang, the prompt did inspire me to write a few one-shots of other instances where Tracy and Ted's lives paralleled and intersected. This will likely just be a handful of stories, taking place during various events between seasons 4 and 8. I'm excited to write this. I hope you all enjoy it! This first chapter takes place during S4E22, "Right Place, Right Time"._

* * *

 _"It's so easy from above, you can really see it all_

 _People who belong together, lost and sad and small."_

\- "From Above", Ben Folds

* * *

 _May 2009_

Tracy walked down West 82nd, taking her usual route towards work. She was working double-shifts at the piano bar, trying to save up as much money as possible before school started up in the fall. She was looking forward to being back in class, to work towards something so important. But it meant having to do without that steady stream of income she'd been so used to these past three years.

However, she knew she'd be ok. She had a decent amount in her savings, and had the financial support of her parents when needed, for which Tracy was grateful. All she needed was to find a new roommate come fall; Kelly was moving to Philadelphia for a couple of years to get her MBA, so Tracy was going to be without her best friend for a little while.

She was positive that things would be alright, though. Despite the hardships of the past four years, Tracy always tried to remain hopeful about things. She'd find a roommate, she was certain of that. Besides, she told herself as she turned into an alley separating two apartment buildings, she didn't have any real problems.

Life was way more difficult for other people, she thought as she looked down at the homeless man sitting amidst the trash and the random items and knick-knacks he collected.

"Hi, Milt!" she told him, handing over the coffee and sandwich she held in her hands.

For a few months now, Tracy would spot the homeless man as she walked by, always stopping to hand over some change. She eventually built a rapport with Milt, bringing him something to drink and eat when she saw him, as well as chatting with him. She knew he was harmless, but mentally unstable; it was a heartbreaking reminder of what much of the city's homeless population went through, and it made Tracy all the more eager to start up on her economics degree.

It was fate, she figured, bumping into Mitch that night at the club over a year ago. Tracy wasn't even supposed to go out for St. Patrick's Day, she didn't want to, but it led to her having a nice—albeit awkward—heart-to-heart with him about what she wanted to do with her life. After Max's passing, Tracy sure as hell didn't feel like doing anything; she felt aimless and without purpose.

But now, things were a whole lot different. She finally felt as if she were doing something worthwhile with her life. Something was telling Tracy, deep down, that she was _supposed_ to be at Columbia this fall. There was a pull, telling her to get an economics degree, for her to help in any way to end poverty. And she couldn't wait to get started.

"Hey, little lady!" Milt said happily, removing his headphones from his ears and placing the orange on his lap, accepting the food eagerly. "I haven't seen you in a few days."

"Went to visit my parents in New Jersey," she explained apologetically, reaching into her purse for a couple of dollars. "Hey, where are your fancy charts?"

Milt had a habit of collecting things he'd find in the trash, his most recent acquisition being a bunch of charts someone must've tossed away after a presentation. He saw value in many of the things he'd find, which made Tracy think he must've had some hoarding problem back when he had a home. Sadly, it wasn't uncommon for hoarders to eventually end up on the streets.

"I sold them!" he said proudly, taking a sip of his coffee. "For a million dollars!"

Tracy raised her eyebrows skeptically. "Someone gave you a million dollars, Milt?"

"Well, no," he admitted. "But I gave this guy my charts, and he's giving me a dollar a day for a million days."

She groaned, wanting to scream and stomp her feet in anger. Too many people liked to play tricks on homeless people; whoever this person was must've thought it'd be fun to take Milt's charts while promising an extravagant amount of money. Sure, those pieces of posterboard may not have been anything special, but they _felt_ important to Milt, so to take advantage of someone who didn't know any better was just inhumane.

"Milt," she said calmly, in a soothing tone. "Are you sure whoever this person was will give you any money? A million dollars is a lot for a handful of charts."

He smiled wide. "I know! Sucker, right?" he said boastfully. "I made _four dollars_ off of him so far! Nice guy, though; gave me his bagel yesterday. In fact, he literally _just_ stopped and gave me my daily dollar 30 seconds before you showed up."

Tracy's eyes softened; so this guy _wasn't_ playing a joke on Milt. She quickly took a few steps back towards the sidewalk, looking up and down eagerly. She wasn't sure who she was looking for; this guy was likely long gone by now, having blended in with the rest of the pedestrians.

It seemed this person was honoring his promise. Obviously, the million dollars wasn't going to happen, but a dollar a day was still more than what other people tended to give. And that gave Tracy hope, that there were still a few decent people left in the world.

She walked back over to Milt. "Well, that's good to hear," Tracy said encouragingly. "You'll rack up that million dollars in no time!"

"Yep!" he agreed. "Need to save some money and get myself a new music player." Milt looked down at his orange, the skin turning brown, starting to mold. Tracy would have to pick up a new orange for him the next day, she decided.

"I see a new one in your future, Milt," she said knowingly with a grin. "Anyway, I'm going to be late for work. I'll see you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow, Tracy!" he said, already digging into his sandwich.

Tracy smiled and turned around, walking back onto the sidewalk, continuing her journey towards work. Her little visit with Milt gave her a renewed sense of purpose, motivating her a little bit more. She'd help him—and hundreds of people like him—someday, she vowed. She wouldn't let Milt down.

And with allies like this mystery dollar-a-day man, and others like him, Tracy knew that she wouldn't be going at it alone.


	2. Arcadian

_Alright, chapter two is here! Actually very proud of this chapter, and it came together very easily. (It's a short one, though.) It takes place during the events of S6E24, "Challenge Accepted". Enjoy, and I would love to hear your thoughts!_

* * *

 _September 2011_

Tracy took a sip of her beer as she stared out into the distance. She thought of endings and of new beginnings as she looked out at the Manhattan skyline before her, the Empire State Building and the WWN buildings standing tall and proud, as well as various metal skyscrapers sharing space with older stone buildings.

One of those was the Arcadian, the main reason she and a bunch of her friends had gathered that day on the roof of her friend Dong Nose's apartment building. The old hotel was being torn down that afternoon—being demolished with dynamite, to boot, adding to the excitement of the day.

So a bunch of Tracy's friends had decided on Dong's place, which offered an incomparable view of the Arcadian. They had set up a barbecue grill up there too, making an event out of it, to also celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of the new school year, Tracy's first week back for her junior year almost out of the way.

Everyone was there: her former roommate Cindy, along with her girlfriend, Casey. The girls were in attendance: Dong, of course, Julie, and Tracy's best friend Kelly, who had recently returned from Philadelphia after completing her MBA. Tracy's bandmates were there, as well as a bunch of girls and guys from the economics department.

It was a crowded house, and while Tracy spent a good chunk of that afternoon mingling and chatting with her friends, she now enjoyed a quiet moment to herself. Grabbing a fold-out chair, she sat herself down with her drink and stared out towards the Arcadian, mixed feelings coursing through her as she looked down at the cordoned area, a large group of people crowded a good distance away from the building. Likely a bunch of bigwigs from GNB—the bank that was utilizing the space for their new headquarters—and possibly some folks who were designing the new building, she figured.

Tracy had always loved the Arcadian. She wasn't quite the architecture buff, but she loved all things old, and when she had first moved to the city, Tracy would walk past buildings that seemed to have a story to tell, and immediately hit the library or the internet to learn more about them.

The Art Deco style of the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings, the Beaux-Arts style of the Flatiron, the Gothic Revival style of the Woolworth Building... She loved them all. But it was the Arcadian that first drew her attention, starting with the iconic lion-head stonework.

The building was part of her everyday life, walking past it daily (or just going out of her way to see it), oftentimes stopping to look up and admire. She recalled reading about its rich past, how it welcomed celebrities and nobility during its heyday. _How it must've been!_ she often wondered, wishing she could step back in time to be in that moment.

She had first heard that the building was going to be torn down when she spotted the group of people protesting its demolition outside. And when Tracy found out this news, she was both heartbroken and angry. This was part of New York City, part of its history and its landscape! They couldn't tear it down!

But then there was the other, rational side of her that trumped her sentimental self. This was an old building, with many safety code violations. It wasn't what it used to be, and if it could be replaced with something new—perhaps another building with its own unique story to tell—could that _really_ be a bad thing?

Now, everyone was starting to gather together on the roof. The 3pm demolition time was nearing, and chairs were being dragged closer to where Tracy was sitting, an excited chatter buzzing around her head.

There was some noise heard from down below, and then something inaudible was shouted before a loud "boom" went out. Looking ahead, a breath caught in Tracy's throat as the building imploded, the structure falling into itself until it disappeared (in mere seconds!), a large, brownish-gray cloud of smoke in its wake.

Everyone screamed around her, laughing and high-fiving—and she was sure she heard a few whoops of joy below—but Tracy just continued to stare ahead into that now-empty spot of the Manhattan skyline. The city was an ever-changing tapestry, always evolving; this was part of life. If you couldn't change and grow along with the city around you, what kind of life were you living?

And Tracy thought, sadly, at how she herself was a person who was still living in the past in some ways. Max had been her building, once standing tall, until it crumbled down into scraps of bricks and wood and glass. And she had yet to clean up the destruction left behind, had yet to rebuild. But she knew she had to.

Because perhaps, sometimes, new _could_ be better. It would just take a little while for her to get there, one brick at a time.


	3. Apartment

_So sorry for taking forever with this next chapter! Got a bit carried away with all those one-shots. (A bout of boredom last night was actually the inspiration to finally move forward with this.) Anyway, this chapter takes place around the events of S7E21, "Now We're Even". Tracy and Ted's paths don't cross here, but this is more of how their lives parallel a bit during that period. Thanks everyone for your patience and support on this fic; I hope you all enjoy!_

* * *

 _April 2012_

Tracy was slumped down on her couch on a Friday night, uninterested in what was playing on the TV screen before her. She oftentimes didn't want to admit it, tried to pretend she enjoyed watching old episodes of _Friends_ or _The X-Files_ on Friday nights; but the reality of it was that she was bored.

She used to love having her place to herself. Truly. After living with Max, and then Kelly, and then with Cindy, living alone was a new concept for Tracy that she embraced rather quickly. She had 100% control over the remote! She could order her preferred takeout! She could blast her Unicorns CD without anyone whining about it! She could walk around the house naked! (Well, when she lived with Max, the latter she did on occasion for his benefit. He clearly never complained.)

But for all the pluses of living alone, it really was, well... lonely.

After Max passed away, she _wanted_ to be left alone. She didn't want to see or speak to anyone, or go anywhere, and she often didn't get what she wanted. Her friends, bless them, did their damnedest to make sure she was never alone, stopping by the apartment at all times, or forcing her to come out for a bite or a movie. And when Kelly moved in shortly after, she _always_ had company. (Even when she didn't want any.) Tracy had always preferred to just sit on the couch, alone with her thoughts, her tears and her memories of Max.

That didn't last long: the moment Tracy had decided to go back to school, she had found a new purpose in life, and a reason to _live_ that life to its fullest. Between classes and study sessions, work and band practice and performances, and time spent with family and friends, she no longer had the free time to sit and wallow on her sofa.

However, between the more social periods, there were also the regular bouts of loneliness, such as tonight. As the years progressed, while Tracy kept herself busy in all aspects of her life except her love life, her friends around her flourished in that department. A couple of her friends had gotten married; a bunch were in long-term relationships; even Cindy met a great girl very quickly after she had come to terms with her sexuality; and while Kelly was perpetually single, she always seemed to have a date on Friday nights.

The reality of growing up was, when people fell into relationships, it was usually friends that were tossed to the wayside. Not intentionally, of course; Tracy knew her friends loved her dearly. She still saw the girls as often as possible, but when the weekends rolled around, everyone was out with their significant others. She occasionally got invited out with them, and would sometimes take them up on their offers; but Tracy didn't want to encroach on anyone's date night, didn't want to be a third wheel.

So Tracy was pretty much left to fend for herself. Which meant those weekend evenings were spent on the couch alone. Usually with Greek takeout from her favourite restaurant, and reruns of her favorite shows. And, eventually, she got all too comfortable at being a homebody, reverting back to that time she spent mourning Max on her couch.

And she had promised herself once, she recalled now, that she would _never_ be that girl again. She had made such inroads, taken years to lift herself out from that darkness, that the prospect of being the girl on the couch again actually gave her pause. She couldn't let the old Tracy down like that; and she certainly couldn't deprive her present self of the possibility of a happy future.

Or, at the very least, to not deprive herself of potentially having someone to hang out with on Friday nights.

Tracy got up from the couch and wandered over to where she had left her purse, digging into the front pocket where she had dropped Lewis' business card. She pulled it out, and looked down at it, his name and phone number embossed on the paper staring up at her.

She had to admit that, despite her initial hesitance to go out with Lewis, she actually had a lovely time on their drink date. He was real sweet, and it was great having a nice conversation with someone. He made her laugh. And he was cute; Tracy had even allowed her mind to wander, wondering how it would feel like to hold his hand and, even further in the back of her mind, perhaps even briefly, pondered what it would feel like with him on top of her...

And that's when her thoughts guiltily went back to Max. Her guard went up again, and she brushed him off a few minutes later. Nope, another relationship just wasn't for her.

But after she spoke with Kelly, learning about what the dating world was like out there, Tracy thought herself lucky that she simply bumped into a nice guy in the back alley of the club. He was tall, handsome, helpful... He really _was_ like Superman. And Tracy wouldn't have to wade through one bad date after another, like Kelly often lamented. Sure, meeting Lewis may not have _felt_ as if she had won the lottery, but who knew what the future would bring? Maybe she needed a few more dates to warm up to him; maybe she wouldn't fall hard and fast for him like she had with Max. Maybe falling in love with Lewis would be more of a slow build.

 _Don't get ahead of yourself_ , _Trace_ , she thought to herself. _Get through dinner first._

Her mind resolved, she grabbed her phone, took three deep breaths, and dialed the number. She nervously crinkled up the business card between her fingers as the phone rang. Lewis picked up on the third ring.

"Hi, Lewis?" she said, practically stuttering. "It's Tracy... from the the other night?"

"You called!" he answered back. It was weird, but Tracy felt as if she could _hear_ him smiling on the other end. "Guess _I'm_ the lucky one who just won the jackpot."

Tracy smiled, despite herself. "Yeah, I figured it was time I maybe sought out another lottery ticket," she admitted, laughing lightly as she comfortably sat back down on the couch. This was going good. She could _do_ this! "So, um, I was wondering: do you want to grab a bite or something tomorrow?"


	4. Maggie

_Alright, we have our penultimate installment of this series! This takes place in and around the events of S5E10, "The Window". Hope you enjoy, and thanks to everyone for sticking out with this story. Enjoy!_

* * *

 _December 2009_

* * *

"Yo, Benny: what'd you get for #8?!"

"Chris," Tracy began in a warning tone, putting her hand on top of the teenager's head and gently turning it back down in the direction of his desk. "Eyes on your own paper."

"Aw, c'mon, Tracy!" Christopher began, adjusting his shirt collar. "You know I can't keep my eyes on my paper when you're circulating the room."

"It's Ms. McConnell," Tracy reminded him with a shake of her head, biting back a laugh, amused at the 14-year-old's attempts at being suave. He'd been like that ever since the start of the school year. "Eyes on your paper," she repeated, walking away.

Despite the lively group of kids, Tracy was truly enjoying tutoring math at a middle school in East Harlem. It was difficult getting the group of 7th and 8th graders to pay attention sometimes, but when they did, it gave her a sense of pride that they were able to grasp the material—some of them even enjoying the subject!

Ever since she started up at Columbia in the fall, Tracy had looked for opportunities to help out in underprivileged communities in any way she could. And given her love of math and science, she figured tutoring a couple of nights each week could be fun. (Although her friends liked to roll their eyes at her use of the word "fun" when it came to math.)

Tracy now eyed the rest of the students as they quietly worked on their prep tests in anticipation of their final exam of the semester before the holiday break and, satisfied, made her way to the back of the room. Her co-tutor, who was circulating the other side of the classroom, joined her.

"They are more well behaved than usual," Maggie observed, keeping her voice low.

Tracy chuckled. "I think we've worn them down, and they're just ready for the Christmas break to finally get here."

"I've gotta say, I know how they feel," Maggie admitted, and both women let out a laugh.

Tracy really liked Maggie. She was slightly older than her, but Tracy got along real well with her in the few months they'd been tutoring together. Maggie was a marine biologist over at the Department of Environment Protection, and tutoring and mentoring inner-city youths was something she'd also wanted to do.

And she was also _super_ nice. A lot of people liked to say that Tracy was a typical girl-next-door, but even _she_ had admit: she couldn't hold a candle to Maggie. But their personalities were complimentary, and while they didn't consider one another friends, they were very much friendly towards one another in the few hours they spent together each week.

"So, how was your thing with Jake last night?" Tracy inquired, being able to freely chat now that the kids were in work mode. Maggie's boyfriend had a big date planned for her the previous evening; she actually thought that he might even propose.

Maggie paused a bit before speaking. "Um, Jake and I broke up last night, actually," she admitted.

Tracy's eyes widened. "Omigod!" she cried, immediately lowering her voice to a whisper after 12 heads snapped up from their papers. "I'm _so_ sorry! What happened?"

Funnily enough, even though she and her boyfriend of four years had just broken up, Maggie looked... fine. She was actually smiling!

"It's ok!" Maggie assured her, smiling even wider now. "I actually had a pretty crazy but wonderful night. See, after Jake dumped me, an old friend from college showed up at my door..."

Maggie continued to tell Tracy the tale of going out for a drink with some old college friends, and some friends of theirs, and then a co-worker of hers suddenly showed up, too. She had appreciated having some friendly faces to spend the evening with, she truly did, but she left early and gone home, physically and emotionally spent. And when Maggie had arrived, there was quite the surprise waiting for her outside her door: her first boyfriend, Adam.

"I hadn't seen him since he left for college," Maggie explained, her fingers delicately toying with the silver chain around her neck. "But connecting with him again was just so... easy. We just spent the whole night catching up and, by the time morning rolled around, I guess you could say we were officially a couple. Again."

Tracy was moved by her story. And it reminded her of Max, _her_ boy next door. (Well, the boy three blocks down, technically...) She had been lucky that their relationship hadn't ended as that of high school sweethearts, that college hadn't torn them apart; they had moved to the city and had three more wonderful years together. Tracy was truly grateful for that, despite their relationship tragically being cut short.

Maggie, though, she had a second chance at her childhood love. And Tracy was truly happy for her. Slightly envious, she had to admit, that she could never really have another chance with Max ever again. But happy. Everyone deserved a chance at love. Particularly a person as kind and lovely as Maggie.

"Wow," Tracy breathed out, somewhat in awe. "That sounds pretty amazing. And crazy—I don't think I'd be able to move on that quickly."

She really couldn't. After all, it'd been a little over four years since she'd lost Max, and she knew she was nowhere near being able to fall in love again. So for Maggie to suddenly be in a new relationship mere hours after breaking up with her long-term boyfriend—one she had contemplated marrying—well, it was difficult to comprehend.

Maggie giggled, a sense of disbelief in her own eyes. "I would never have thought so, either," she revealed in earnest, her cheeks turning slightly pink. "And yet, there was Adam, and it just... made sense. It was as if the universe intended for us to meet again that night. I guess we don't have control over that sometimes."

At the sound of two girls whispering with one another at the front of the class, Maggie was quickly off to deal with them, leaving Tracy alone with her thoughts.

Maggie was right: people had zero control over what the universe had in store for their lives. Tracy knew that quite well; the universe had surely dealt her an interesting hand a few years earlier. Not something she appreciated; clearly, if she had control over her own destiny, Max would still be with here right now.

But when Maggie had least expected it, her destiny had changed. For the better. So maybe there was something good in store for Tracy. For now, she was creating her own destiny—going back to school, taking on new challenges—and was pretty content. She probably wasn't going to be as lucky as Maggie, or as lucky as she had been with Max once upon a time. But maybe the universe would surprise her one day.

Probably not as quickly as it did for Maggie, though.

 _From one boyfriend to another in less than 24 hours,_ thought Tracy again with an amused shake of head, walking back towards where Chris was now trying to sneak a peek at Benny's test paper. _That's something you don't see every day!_


End file.
